"The Wild" -- Definition?

[bargora]

I was looking over the topic that asks what is the rarest item you've found "in the wild". Now, I understand that ebay is not "in the wild", but I'm not sure exactly what most collectors consider "the wild".

In particular, I was wondering whether things bought new count as "in the wild", whether bought immediately after release or some time after. Like these:
Atari 5200 Multicart -- bought new by mail order from the publisher, S. Kelly, back when he was still making and selling them.
Silent Bomber -- bought new from an online site for about $12, about three years after it released.

I mean, when people talk about finding things "in the wild", that usually conjures up images of rummaging through piles of dreck at garage sales or Funcoland.

[Bluteg]

I think anywhere outside the internet would be considered "the wild".

[rbudrick]

Most "dedicated "game shops (meaning they only sell VG stuff) are pretty tame too....not too wild at all.

They are a grey area if you find a really old game in one. LOL

Usually flea markets, pawns, yard sales, friends, relatives, things like that. Those are usually "the wild."

-Rob

[Wavelflack]

I guess I consider "the wild" to be anywhere that is not specifically intended to stock whatever it is that you have found. In other words, finding a rare Atari game at a pawn shop, flea market, or garage sale would qualify (IMO) as "in the wild". Finding a rare Atari game at a collector's convention, a "vintage stock" type retro store, or ebay, would not qualify. I DO count "bargain finds" at game stores as "wild", however, and my rationale is that the store owner had no idea what he had and lumped it in with the other junk. If the owner was aware of it's value, he would have it behind a glass case or behind the counter, and priced accordingly.


I guess another way to look at it is this: If you got the game for pennies on the dollar of it's value, then you likely found it in the wild. (Ebay is an exception, simply because you can specifically look for your game. Wild ceases to be wild when you have a magic locator to find what you look for.)
Professional retro dealers stock a lot of rare stuff, but it has been tamed and "domesticated" (ie; presented to the masses, albeit for $$$$).

[hydr0x]

for me anything not from the internet or a trade is the wild